Vapor heating system



Sept. 7, 1937. E. A. RUSSELL El AL v VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Filed April 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l ITn/z njo rts ZZZ 1142a? A fias ae/f E. A. RUSSELL ET AL VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Filed April 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Spt. 7, 1937.

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Patented Sept. 7, 1937 a: srsres ATEN'E' QFFICE VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM York Application April 20, 1936, Serial No. 75,301

6 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vapor heating systems, more particularly to m ans for insuring an immediate How of steam into the radiators of a steam or 5 vapor heating system of the type used on railway cars when the thermostat again calls for heat after a period of time during which the flow of steam to the radiators has been out ch.

In one well known form of steam or vapor heating system, a so-called vapor regulator is used for cutting off the further flow of steam from the source of supply whenever the radiating system becomes filled with steam. The steam from the supply first flows through the vapor regulator past a thermostatically controlled cut-ofi valve in the regulator and thence through the radiator or radiators and back to the vapor regulator. =This returned steam contacts with a thermostatic element which expands and closes the cutoff valve to prevent further flow of steam from the source through the vapor regulator. As the steam in the system and in contact with the thermostatic element condenses, the thermostatic element will contract and open the valve so as to admit more steam to the system. Before reaching the radiators, the steam flows through a control or distributing valve. This valve is usually thermostatically set in accordance with temperature changes in the space heated by the radiating system. When heat is required the valve is opened and steam flows through the radiators before returning to the vapor regulator. When no further heat is required, the control valve is closed so as to shunt the steam from the source directly back to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator. Under such conditions (that is with the control valve in so-called closed position) t'nc'cut-ofi valve in the regulator will normally be closed, only opening at intervals to admit sufficient steam to the short loop through the distributing valve to keep the thermostatic element expanded. With the distributing valve in this so-called closed position, another closed loop Will be formed from the valve through the radiators and back to the valve. The valve is provided with a drain conduit connection which is closed when the valve is in open position, but which is opened and in communication with the radiating loop when the valve is closed. This drain con- 50 nection permits the condensate formed by the condensation of steam in the otherwise closed radiating loop to drain out, and at the same time air will flow in through this drain connection to break the vacuum that would be caused by the 55 condensation of steam in this loop.

Now when the temperature falls in the space that is being heated by the radiating system, and the control valve is again turned to open position, the steam again permitted to flow into the radiators will have to first force out the air that has been drawn in by the vacuum. This causes a delay or lag in the process of admitting steam to the radiators, and it is the purpose of the present invention to do away with or minimize this lag.

According to the present invention means is provided for holding the vacuum formed in the closed radiating loop (comprising the radiators and connecting piping) when the control valve is moved to closed position. Accordingly when the valve is again opened, there will be a rush of steam into the radiating loop to fill this vacuum, so that the radiators will again fill with steam and begin to function almost immediately after the control valve is opened. This result is accomplished by providing a check valve in the drain conduit opening away from the control valve. As long as atmospheric pressure exists in the system this valve can open and permit condensate to pass out through the connection. However, when a vacuum is formed in the radiating loop this check valve will close and prevent air from flowing back through the drain conduit to break the vacuum.

The principal object of this invention is to pro vide an improved heating system of the type briefly described hereinabove and disclosed more in detail in the specifications which follow.

Another object is to provide improved means for preventing delay in admitting steam to the radiators, due to the necessity of forcing air out of the radiators.

Another object is to provide improved means for holding a vacuum in the radiating system when the supply of steam is cut ofi.

Another object is to provide improved means for preventing air flowing back through the drain conduit to fill the vacuum in the radiating system.

Another object is to provide means for preventing air from flowing back through the vapor regulator to break the vacuum in the closed radiating system.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of one approved combination of apparatus elements constructed and operating according to the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View, partially diagrammatic, showing the assembled apparatus. 55

pansible thermostatic disc I2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, through one of the check valves.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the vapor regulator.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the control valve, showing the valve in open position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the valve in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the valve taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

The heating system to which these improvements are applied comprises in general (see Fig. 1) the source of steam A, the vapor regulator B, the control or distributing valve C, the radiator or radiators D, the controlling thermostat E and the relay mechanism F for actuating the valve C. The specific improvements which have been added in accordance with the present invention include the improved drain pipe connection G and the 0 one-way or check valve H in said drain connection.

The main steam supply pipe A (which in the case of a railway car heating system is the main train steam line extending throughout the length of the train from the source of steam at the locomotive) is connected through pipe I with the high pressure chamber 2 of the vapor regulator B. One example of a vapor regulator of well known type suitable for use in this system is shown in section in Fig. 3. This regulator comprises a high pressure chamber 2 into which the steam from the source flows through pipe I and inlet port 3. A low pressure chamber 4 is connected with high pressure chamber 2 through passage 5, and the movable cut-off valve 6 is adapted to close against a valve seat I so as to stop the flow of steam from chamber 2 into chamber 4. Steam from the low pressure chamber 4 flows out through port 8 and thence through the piping and heating sysi0 tem hereinafter described. Excess steam and the condensate from the heating system flows back to the vapor regulator and enters through port 9 into a passage l6 extending down into a return chamber l I in which is positioned an ex- Condensate can flow out through passages I 3 in the lower portion of the regulator. When disc i2 is exposed to steam temperatures it will expand and force up an operating rod M which, through rocking lever 30 I5 and valve stem I 6, moves valve 6 against its permitting valve 6 to open, whereupon further steam will flow through the vapor regulator to the heating system. This vapor regulator functions to keep the heating system filled with steam at substantially atmospheric pressure since the system is open to the atmosphere through the vents I 3 of the vapor regulator. It will be understood that this vapor regulator B may take a variety of forms, as are now well known in the art, the one hereinabove described being disc5 closed merely by way of example.

Steam flows from the low pressure chamber 4 of the vapor regulator through pipe Ill to the control or distributing valve C. This valve is of well known type and will now be described briefly.

7O referring particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The

valve casing is formed with a plurality of chambers I3, I53, 20, 2!, 22 and 23 all grouped around a central circular chamber in which is rotatably o fitted the substantially cylindrical valve member 35 24. The several chambers I8 to 23 inclusive are each separately connected with the central valve chamber through the respective ports l8, l9, 2|), 2|, 22' and 23. The movable valve member 24 comprises the upper and lower circular plates 25 and 26 which are connected vertically by the transverse partition wall 2'! and the arcuate side wall 28. This arcuate wall 28 permanently closes the port 20. It also closes the port l9 when the valve is in the open position shown in Fig. 4, but opens port iii when the valve is moved to the closed position shown in Fig. 5. When the valve member is in the open position shown in Fig. 4, communication is established between ports I8 and 2i and also between ports 22 and 23'. When the valve is moved to closed position, as shown in Fig. 5, ports I8 and are put in communication with one another, whereas ports 2i and 22 are both in communication with the now opened port I9. The movable valve 24 is oscillated between its two positions by means of the upwardly projecting valve stem 29 which is operated by suitable magnetic. motor mechanism in the upper casing 3t (see Fig. 1).

The steam supply pipe ll connects into a port Si in the bottom of supply chamber l B. A return pipe 32 leads from port 33 in the bottom of return chamber 23 back to the inlet port 9 of the some radiating systems a drain pipe connection from an intermediate portion of the system leads back to the chamber 20 which is in communication through a passage 38 with the chamber 22. In the simplified installation here shown this intermediate drain pipe and chamber 2!) is not used, the inlet port thereto being closed by a plug 39. As far as the operation of the valve here used is concerned, the chamber 20 and drain passage 38 could be omitted entirely.

The chamber I9 communicates through a bottom port 46 with the drain chamber 49 (see Fig. 6) which is provided with a bottom outlet port t2. An alternative side outlet port is here shown as closed by a plug 53. A discharge pipe 436. is connected into port :32, this discharge or drain pipe normally extending to any suitable point for discharging condensate and being open to the atmosphere.

The heating system as thus far described is well known in the art and operates as follows: Steam from the supply pipe A flows through vapor regulator B and distributing valve C to and through the radiating system D. At this time the valve l2. of the vapor regulator will expand and close the valve 6 thus cutting off the further flow of steam into the heating system. It will be noted that in this position of the valve the port it leading to drain chamber I 9 is closed but all condensate drains back along with excess steam the vapor regulator.

As soon as some of the steam in the system has condensed and the thermostatic element I2 is no longer exposed to a steam temperature, this element will contract and open the valve 6, thus permitting additional steam to flow into the system. In this manner the radiating system is maintained full of just suflicient steam for heating purposes (that is as long as control valve C remains in open position). When the desired temperature has been reached in the space that is being heated by the radiating system D, the thermostat E will function through relay mechanism F to cause valve C to be shifted to the closed position shown in Fig. 5. The steam supply will now be directed from supply pipe I! through the connected valve chambers I8 and 23 and thence back through pipe 32 to the return chamber II of the vapor regulator. This portion of the conduit system will be maintained full of steam at all times, but since very little steam is required for this purpose, it will be apparent that the thermostatic element I2 will be normally expanded and the valve 6 normally closed under these conditions (that is when valve C is closed). At this time the pipe loop comprising valve chamber ZI, pipe 355, radiating system D, pipe 37, and valve chamber 22 will be cut off from the steam supply and will be closed except for the fact that port l9 leading to drain chamber I9 is now open. Condensate forming in this otherwise closed radiating loo-p can now drain back through the valve chambers into chamber I9 and thence out through port ii], chamber 4!, and outlet port 42 into the drain pipe 44 and thence to any convenient point of discharge.

It will be apparent that since this radiating loop has been filled with steam, this steam will soon condense, thereby causing a vacuum in this radiating loop. However, since the drain pipe M is open to the atmosphere air can flow back through this pipe and the drain chamber so as to break the vacuum and fill the radiating loop consisting of pipes 35 and 31 and radiators D with air.

Assuming now that the temperature within the space being heated has fallen so that additional heat is now desired from radiating system D, the thermostat E will function to cause valve C to be moved to the open position shown in Fig. 4. However, before the radiating loop can again be filled with steam it is necessary to force out the air that has been drawn thereinto and this will cause an undesirable lag or delay in the process of again filling the radiators with steam, and it is the purpose of the present improvement to avoid or minimize this delay and fill the radiators with steam almost immediately, that is, as soon as control valve has been moved to open position. This is accomplished by maintaining the vacuum formed in the radiating loop so that steam will immediately rush in to fill this vacuum.

According to the present invention, the drain pipe 44 is extended, as shown at G, and provided with a one-way valve or check valve H opening away from the control valve C. A suitable valve of this type is indicated in section in Fig. 2. This valve comprises a pivoted flap member 45 which will open to permit fluids to flow from pipe G toward the left into and through the discharge pipe 46, but will automatically close to prevent the passage toward the right of fluids from pipe 46 into pipe vG. The pipe 46 may lead to any convenient point of discharge, but is preferably connected into the return pipe 32 leading back to the vapor regulator. It will be understood that pipe 32 is open to the atmosphere through its discharge end, that is through the outlets I3 of the vapor regulator.

Now when valve C is moved to the closed position shown in Fig. 5, the steam condensing in the radiating loop comprising pipes 35 and 31 and radiators D will condense thereby creating a vacuum in this pipe loop. This vacuum will extend through the drain chambers of valve C and drain pipe G as far as the one-way valve H, but the valve H will automatically close, due to the fact that atmospheric pressure exists in the discharge pipes G8 and 32. Therefore, air is not permitted to pass back through the drain connections and break the vacuum. Condensate can drain as be fore from the closed radiating loop into and through the valve chambers and into drain pipe G as far as the one-way valve H. The condensate will accumulate in this pipe which is made of sufficient length to accommodate the same. When valve C is again moved to open position, steam will immediately rush in to fill the vacuum and as soon as atmospheric pressure is again es tablished in this manner, valve H may open to permit the accumulated condensate to drain out through the vapor regulator.

When the valve C is in closed position and the vacuum has been established, the valve chambers I8 and 23 will normally be filled with steam so that any leakage past the wings of the rotary valve member will be of steam rather than air. This steam will immediately condense so as to renew or not decrease the vacuum already existing in the radiating loop. Since the discharge pipe 32 is in communication with atmospheric pressure through the vapor regulator, it might be possible for air to return to chamber 23 through this pipe connection. Accordingly, it is desirable, although not always necessary, to provide an additional one-way valve 4'! in this return pipe 32. This will prevent the return flow of air through this pipe into the valve chamber 23.

It will be understood that ordinarily the periods during which valve C remains in either on or 01f position are not of any great length, that is the valve will be closed and the steam supply cut off as soon as a desired temperature is established in the space being heated, and since this temperature will not ordinarily persist for any great length of time and due to heat loss the temperature will drop, the valve C will again be opened to admit more steam to the system. The connections hereinabove described are sulficiently tight to hold the vacuum in the radiating loop during this period that the valve is in closed position, so that as soon as the valve is again opened steam will immediately rush into the radiating system and it will again begin to function to transfer the heat to the space being heated. The heating system as a whole functions in substantially the same manner as it has done heretofore, except for the fact that the delay in filling the radiating system with steam after each period of dis-use is greatly reduced. As a result, a much more even temperature may be maintained in the space being heated.

Heretofore it has been customary to adjust rather loosely the screw 48 (see Fig. 3) which supports the thermostatic element I2 so that the valve will not be closed too promptly, thus permitting the steam to more completely force all air from the radiating loop before the steam supply is cut oil. This necessarily involves a certain amount of blowing or loss of steam at the' vapor-regulator comprising a cut-olfvalve and'a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vaporregulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor-regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when turned to open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor-regulator and when moved to closed position sending the steam directly back to the vapor-regulator and forming a closed radiating loop comprising a portion of the control valve, the radiator and the connecting pipes, there being a drain conduit leading from the control valve which is closed when the valve is in openposition and which is opened to communication with r the radiatingloop when the valve is in closed position so as to permit condensate to drain from the radiating loop, and a check-valve in the drain conduit opening away from the control valve and functioning to hold the vacuum in the radiating loop formed by the condensation of the steam therein after the control valve is closed.

2. The combination with a source of steam, a vapor-regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vaporregulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the control valveto the thermostatic element of the vaporregulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when turned to open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator and when moved to closed position sending the steam directly back to the vapor regulator and forming a closed radiating loop comprising a portion of the control valve, the radiator and the connecting pipes, there being a drain conduit leading from the control valve which is closed when the valve is in open position and which is opened to communication with the radiating loop when the valve is in closed position so as to permit condensate to drain from the radiating loop, a check-valve in the drain conduit opening away from the control Valve and functioning to hold the vacuum in the radiating loop formed by the condensation of the steam therein after the control valve is closed, and a second check-valve in the return pipe leading from the control valve to the vapor-regulator, this latter valve opening only toward the vaporregulator.

3. The combination with a source of steam, a vapor-regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor-regulator beyond the cut-off valve to the .controlvalve, a return pipe leading from the controlvalve to the thermostatic element of the vapor-regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve andradiator, the

control valve when turned to open position 'directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor. regulator and, when moved, to closed position sending the steam directly back to the vapor regulator ,and'forrning a closed radiating loop comprising a portion of the control valve, the radiator and therconnect ing pipes, there being a drain conduit leading from the control valve which is closed when the valve is in open position and which is opened to communication with the radiating loop when the valve is in closed position so as to permit condensate to drain from theradiating loop, this drain conduit discharging into the return pipe leading back from the control valve to the vaporregulator, and a check-valve in the. drain conduit opening away from the control valve and functioning to hold the vacuum in the radiating loop formed by the condensation of the steam' therein after the control valve is closed.

4. The combination-with a source of steam, a

vapor-regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing'the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a'control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vaporregulator beyond the cutofi valve to the control valve; a return pipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor-regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when turned to open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator and when moved to closed position sending the steam directly back to the vapor regulator and forming a closed radiating loop comprising a, portion of the control valve, the radiator and the connecting pipes, there being a drain conduit leading from the control valve which is closed when the valve is in open position and which is opened to communication with the radiating loop when the Valve is in closed position so as, to permit condensate-to drain from the radiating loop, this drain conduit discharging into the return pipe leading back from the control valve to the vapor-regulator, a checkvalve in the drain conduit opening away from the control valve and functioning to hold the vacuum in the radiating loop formed by the condensation of the steam therein after the control when in open position directing steam from the valve through the radiator and back to the valve, and when closed cutting off the supply of steam and closing the radiating loop formed through the pipes and radiator, the valve comprising a drain conduit which is closed when the valve is open but is opened to communicate with the radiating loop when the valve is closed to permit condensate to drain from the radiating loop, and a check-valve in the drain conduit opening only away from the valve and'functioning to hold the vacuum formed in the radiating loop by the condensation of the steam therein'when the control Valve is closed. 7

6. The combination with a source of steam, a radiator, a control valve, and supply and return pipes, and a check-valve in the drain conduit opening only away from the valve and functioning to hold the vacuum formed in the radiator and connecting piping when the control valve is closed.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL.

WILLIAM M. SMITH. 

